The quote captures an overwhelming sense of despair and the depth of human suffering. The speaker describes a person enveloped in a profound darkness, suggesting a state of hopelessness that resembles someone stranded in an abyss where light cannot penetrate. This imagery reflects the theme of existential gloom found in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness."

By comparing the man's situation to lying in a deep chasm, the quote emphasizes the emotional distance and the struggle to understand the depth of his plight. The absence of sunlight symbolizes a lack of hope or enlightenment, highlighting the bleakness of the human experience portrayed in the novel.